Dental screenings, fluoride varnish, education, provided to county students
Crawford County is a rural county with no fluoridated public water available. Poverty estimates, according to the 2017 Wisconsin Public Health profiles, are 20.6 percent for ages 0-17 and 14.5 percent for all ages. According to 2018 countyhealthrankings.org, 44 percent of the county population has had no recent dental visits and 57 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches in the schools. Many of these children are insured by Medicaid or have no dental health coverage. With the children covered by Medicaid, it is an ongoing struggle to find a dentist in the area who will see these children. Many of these children are at-risk children.
The Crawford County Health Department is partnering with Devan Toberman, a registered dental hygienisht, to offer oral health care and education to all 3K–sixth grade students from Prairie du Chien, Wauzeka-Steuben School, Seneca and North Crawford schools during the 2018-19 school year. Each child from 3K–6th grade who received parental consent will get two screenings/cleanings, three fluoride varnishes, dental care education, application of sealants as needed, and sealant retention checks.
A public health nurse will provide screening, education and fluoride varnish to those children seen during WIC clinics, if parent’s consent is received.
These services are provided in part by funding that was provided by Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Crawford County Health and Human Services received a grant in the amount of $7,000 from Delta Dental to provide dental education and oral health care to those listed above.
